{"id":4680,"date":"2022-09-26T23:56:20","date_gmt":"2022-09-26T23:56:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/?p=4680"},"modified":"2022-10-31T03:59:57","modified_gmt":"2022-10-31T03:59:57","slug":"baltimore-beat-down-pt-i-collective-minds-26-08-22","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/baltimore-beat-down-pt-i-collective-minds-26-08-22\/","title":{"rendered":"BALTIMORE BEAT DOWN Pt. I: COLLECTIVE MINDS 26.08.22"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Collective Minds<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t care about y\u2019all.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you over dance, we don\u2019t have insurance to cover you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Perhaps, Baltimore\u2019s DJ Oji<\/a> should use a more suitable palette of words. After all, the festival\u2019s attendees feel a certain way.\u00a0 <\/span>After their saga began hours earlier.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

02:35 PM<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHuh?\u00a0 <\/span>Are you sure we are traveling in the correct direction?\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>You question your friend, the driver.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCause we in the middle of nowhere.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>You panic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Nothing looks familiar.\u00a0 <\/span>As the sedan screeches to a halt, nearly kissing the bumper of the van with Pennsylvania plates ahead.\u00a0 <\/span>Parked in bumper-to-bumper traffic on a narrow gravel path for what appears to be a mile.\u00a0 <\/span>Is not fun.\u00a0 <\/span>The scene of caravans carrying migrants comes to mind.\u00a0 <\/span>Being stuck in traffic is a logistical nightmare.\u00a0 <\/span>But hey, the view is amazing.\u00a0 <\/span>Lush green rolling meadows in rural Maryland.\u00a0 <\/span>Somewhere outside, way outside of Baltimore.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the distance, covered by a canopy, supposedly sits a retreat center<\/a>.\u00a0 <\/span>That one weekend hosts a Sukkot and the next weekend a get down to some of the finest soulful house music north of the Mason-Dixon?\u00a0 <\/span>Oh boi, this is about to turn very interesting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Rolling down the window, the sounds of faint ontz-ontz-ontz seeps inside.\u00a0 <\/span>Yep, something is happening.\u00a0 <\/span>However what is happening is still too difficult to determine.\u00a0 <\/span>In view, cars are turning around.\u00a0 <\/span>Driving by.\u00a0 <\/span>No one from the grounds or management appear on foot to address the congestion.\u00a0 <\/span>Another SUV drives by.\u00a0 <\/span>Their windows rolled down.\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThere is no parking ahead.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>In other cars, individuals confirm the dreaded news.\u00a0 <\/span>Parking is packed to capacity.\u00a0 <\/span>Yet, the line of vehicles slowly crawls forward.\u00a0 <\/span>Surely, there is parking some place.\u00a0 <\/span>The vehicle continues its ascent the hill.\u00a0 <\/span>Finally.\u00a0 <\/span>A young official from the retreat center confirms the obvious with a shrug of her shoulders when asked, \u201cthen where do we park?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

There rolling by in a golf cart is a face that appears familiar.\u00a0 <\/span>All-too-familiar.\u00a0 <\/span>Mocha skin.\u00a0 <\/span>Youthful facial expressions.\u00a0 <\/span>And the hair.\u00a0 <\/span>The brown and golden twisties.\u00a0 <\/span>Is that Thommy Davis coordinating parking? Yep.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Thommy Davis<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

2330<\/span><\/p>\n

One week earlier.\u00a0 <\/span>Word on the streets is that house master Gary Wallace was throwing a get down on Crisman Avenue.\u00a0 <\/span>Where a wooden floor meets glass mirrors – throwbacks to blue lights in the basement discos- intermingling with round tables and wooden chairs at Club Mirage<\/a>.\u00a0 <\/span>The venue in Charlotte, NC.\u00a0 <\/span>Where the aroma of fried chicken wings and fries dance onto your clothes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hearty hugs and hospitable hellos are exchanged.\u00a0 <\/span>Warm smiles greeting familiar souls.\u00a0 <\/span>Mouths open wide.\u00a0 <\/span>Chicken thrown inside.\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThat\u2019s my song!\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>A woman yells running towards the DJ table.\u00a0 <\/span>Someone beats the claves.\u00a0 <\/span>Another slaps the tamborine.\u00a0 <\/span>Lisa Fischer singing, \u201cThe Star Of A Story<\/a>\u201d from Louie Vega\u2019s Expansion in the NYC plays crystal clear.\u00a0 <\/span>The smart sound system fully cranked to hi-def.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

0100<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, angel wings and a white mask appears underneath a blue strobe light behind two CDJs and a mixer.\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cLet\u2019s give it up for Mr. Thommy Davis.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Baltimore house music pioneer plays late, real late, too late for the Queen City.\u00a0 <\/span>When clubs are mandated to close at 2 am.\u00a0 <\/span>Thirty or so bodies stand ready.\u00a0 <\/span>Their imaginations exceeding expectations.\u00a0 <\/span>Soon enough the house legend drops bombs.\u00a0 <\/span>Bomb #1 disco: Roy Ayers\u2019 \u201cRunning Away.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>Bomb #2 techno: The Detroit Experiment\u2019s \u201cThink Twice<\/a>\u201d (Henrik Schwarz Remix).\u00a0 <\/span>Bomb #3 gospel: Ron Hall\u2019s \u201cTalk to God \u2018Bout It<\/a>\u201d (DJ Spen Sunday Service Re-Edit).\u00a0 <\/span>But the late Aretha Franklin\u2019s \u201cRespect\u201d exploding into MFSB\u2019s \u201cLove Is The Message\u201d sends the dancers running for protective covering.\u00a0 <\/span>Shells and carnage appear left to right.\u00a0 <\/span>The dance floor is declared a danger zone. From an onslaught of heavy floor thumpers-celebrating 120 beats per minute.<\/span><\/p>\n

0200<\/span><\/p>\n

Outta nowhere, Cub Mirage\u2019s owner appears determined to stop the madness at the top of the hour.\u00a0 <\/span>The time when the music selector is a conduit of sound.\u00a0 <\/span>When dancing bodies fall spell to strange rhythms. But nope.<\/span><\/p>\n

Had the \u201cMr. Davis<\/a>\u201d artist continued playing, no telling what additional arsenal he would have reigned on the house heads. More vivacious vocals?\u00a0 <\/span>More dirty dubs?\u00a0 <\/span>But sadly, the music crawls to soul ambiguity. The house lights shining.\u00a0 <\/span>Oh my!\u00a0 <\/span>Funny how times flies over distance and location.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

TBC<\/a><\/p>\n

wrds: aj dance<\/p>\n

Thommy Davis grphc: aj art<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Fb-Button\"\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>
<\/fb:like><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Collective Minds \u201cWe don\u2019t care about y\u2019all. If you over dance, we don\u2019t have insurance to cover you.\u201d Perhaps, Baltimore\u2019s DJ Oji should use a more suitable palette of words. After all, the festival\u2019s attendees feel a certain way.\u00a0 After their saga began hours earlier.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4710,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[417,62,471,473,320,388,472,470,7,474,254,469],"class_list":["post-4680","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-events","tag-baltimore-house-music","tag-charlotte-nc","tag-club-mirage","tag-collective-minds","tag-dance-music","tag-dancing","tag-dj-oji","tag-gary-wallace","tag-house-music","tag-pearlstone-retreat-center","tag-soulful-house-music","tag-tommy-davis"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/TDalt.jpg?fit=1828%2C1500&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2JDhj-1du","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4675,"url":"https:\/\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/baltimore-beat-down-pt-iii-collective-minds\/","url_meta":{"origin":4680,"position":0},"title":"BALTIMORE BEAT DOWN Pt. 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Playing heavy four-count thumps that erupts from giant black cabinets. And dancing in front of those speakers will cause hearing loss for days to come. \u201cYou\u2019ve waited all week to dance,\u201d proclaims a diva\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Events"","block_context":{"text":"Events","link":"https:\/\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/category\/events\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":5398,"url":"https:\/\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/women-do-it-better\/","url_meta":{"origin":4680,"position":2},"title":"WOMEN DO IT BETTER","author":"ajdance","date":"February 2, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Women Do It Better! There Is Hope DJ Debbie Graham 2000 The Queen, Atlanta\u2019s icon DJ Debbie Graham playing Dennis Ferrer\u2019s featuring Mia Tuttavilla \u201cTouch The Sky\u201d (7th Star Vocal Mix) blows the roof off Pisces, formerly the Sound Table on Edgewood Blvd in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood, one\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Events"","block_context":{"text":"Events","link":"https:\/\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/category\/events\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/DJDebSmall-scaled.jpg?fit=840%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/DJDebSmall-scaled.jpg?fit=840%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/DJDebSmall-scaled.jpg?fit=840%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/DJDebSmall-scaled.jpg?fit=840%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4677,"url":"https:\/\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/baltimore-beat-down-pt-ii-karizma\/","url_meta":{"origin":4680,"position":3},"title":"BALTIMORE BEAT DOWN Pt II: KARIZMA","author":"ajdance","date":"September 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"The Karizma Effect When darkness is fully realized and the moon is only left to guide you.\u00a0 The humidity registering at 65% sticks to your shirt.\u00a0 Ewww.\u00a0 A truck is parked the wrong way on a one-way alley street.\u00a0 The driver, a woman is passed out at the steering wheel.\u00a0\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Events"","block_context":{"text":"Events","link":"https:\/\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/category\/events\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Karizma22.jpg?fit=1200%2C1173&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Karizma22.jpg?fit=1200%2C1173&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Karizma22.jpg?fit=1200%2C1173&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Karizma22.jpg?fit=1200%2C1173&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Karizma22.jpg?fit=1200%2C1173&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":589,"url":"https:\/\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/house-in-the-park-04-09-11\/","url_meta":{"origin":4680,"position":4},"title":"HOUSE IN THE PARK 7 04.09.11","author":"ajdance","date":"September 5, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"HOUSE IN THE PARK 7 \u00a0 8:30 am Stretched back as far as the naked eye could see, tan tents and colorful canopies tripped alongside lush green hues perched next to the pebbled brook stream gently trickling in tranquility unaware of the bustling activity taking place around its soft aquatic\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Events"","block_context":{"text":"Events","link":"https:\/\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/category\/events\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/00.-MP-.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":89,"url":"https:\/\/www.ajdancelegacy.com\/~ajdance\/karizma-31-08-12\/","url_meta":{"origin":4680,"position":5},"title":"KARIZMA 31.08.12","author":"ajdance","date":"September 1, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"KARIZMA Launch Control:\u00a0 Atlanta, we\u2019re set to blast off.\u00a0 All systems are ready to go. 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